Six of Swords

Jacob was aware that Laban was deceiving him by continuously adjusting his salary. Then the angel of G-d told him to leave and return to his land. Jacob and Laban then made peace and a sacred pillar was erected. The following morning Laban blessed his daughters and their children, and turned back to his own land.

Divination: The Six of Swords depicts a state of affairs of moving away from chaotic, complex feelings toward a tranquil and more composed state. Some awareness has been gained and some serenity from the recognition of one's limitations in the Five of Swords, and now there is a smoother route ahead. When one has insight and sympathetic understanding of how one actually created one's own destiny, then you can release the apprehension and rather plan a more structured and conscious future.

Jacob sent messengers to Esau that he wanted a reconciliation. The messengers returned and reported that Esau was coming up to meet him accompanied by four hundred men. Jacob called of G-d to protect him and also took his own precautions. Esau was also to be appeased with a substantial gift of livestock, sent ahead in several batches, with spaces between them, as a softening-up process. This impressive tally showed how wealthy Jacob had become, and also how guilty and fearful he felt about his twin brother.

Divination: This card symbolizes the use of intellectual power in a vigilant, scheming and tactful way so as to achieve the end result. One needs to use one's brain rather than push ones weight around. There are times in life that one may know that one may have to keep quiet even though to do so is going against ones moral integrity.

Eight of Swords

During the night a mysterious stranger, with whom he had to wrestle all night, attacked Jacob in the darkness. Towards dawn his adversary tried desperately to free himself and struck Jacob in the thigh putting his hip out of joint. Jacob hung on to the stranger and refused to let him go until he had obtained a blessing, whereby his name was changed from Jacob to Israel, for Jacob had striven with G-d and with men, and had prevailed.

Divination: This card symbolizes a set of circumstances whereby one is indecisive because of fear. The diplomacy of the Seven of Swords, although called upon at certain times, leave one standing on the side of the fence, so to speak, without taking sides and you feel you are neither here nor there. One eventually has to make a stand.

At the meeting between the brothers, Esau behaved with warmth and family sentiment that showed Jacob's nervousness and precautions to have been unjustified. As Esau drew near, Jacob went forward and bowed down seven times to the ground. Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.

Divination: This is the card of fear, a deeply psychological card as morose fantasies are often brought upon oneself by guilt from past actions. One can conjure up all sorts of horrific events in ones mind that do not actually manifest but are so painful because of the absolute power of the imagination. A person usually starts envisaging future incidents precisely as a result of past occurrences and then begins to construct them so that they in point of fact occur.

Ten of Swords

Jacob's sons sold his favourite son to some passing Ishmaelite merchants. Then they dipped the coat of many colours into the blood of a slaughtered he-goat and pretending deep grief, they brought the coat to Jacob, who immediately concluded that a wild beast had devoured Joseph. Then Jacob lamented and wept for his son.

Divination: The Ten of Swords may seem like a death card to the person who has now seen the end of a horrific journey and to him/her there seems as if there is no hope left, only misery. Some very deeply entrenched dilemma is pushed to the surface and obviously needs to be eliminated from ones life. Such separations are agonizing but a necessity and once completed, the relief is remarkable.